2 Timothy 1:7 - God's Spirit of Power, Love and Self-Control.

2 Timothy 1:7 - God's Spirit of Power, Love and Self-Control.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 (TEV) For the Spirit that God has given us does
not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love,
and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NCV) God did not give us a spirit that makes us
afraid but a spirit of power and love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) For God has not given us a spirit of fear
and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
God does not give a spirit of fear, that is, timidity or
cowardice; rather God provides:
* Power -- We do not need to have naturally powerful
personalities. God gives strength of character and confidence that wins us
respect when we face opposition as we speak, preach, and live the truth.
God supernaturally replaces any timidity on the servant's part with
boldness.
* Love -- Accompanying the power to speak the truth must be love
for the listeners, believers and nonbelievers alike. Love separates
Christians from the heathen world around them. Jesus promised, "By this all
will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one
another" (John 13:35 NKJV).
* Self-discipline -- This can also be translated "self-control"
or "sound mind." In order to lead others, the true minister must
have control over himself. To put it another way, a good leader must
have a cool head. Self-discipline and self-control sound like
self-effort. But Paul explained them as divinely bestowed on his servants,
resulting in soundness of mind.
All of these qualities (boldness, power, love, and
self-control) are gifts of the Spirit, not just natural tendencies. They
function best in harmony. Boldness and power are tempered by love and
self-control. Under the pressures of leadership, people tend to gravitate
toward a desire for power and boldness as the most effective tools for
success. But used alone, these qualities are self-defeating. The
inclusion of love and self-control clearly indicates that a leader's
effectiveness comes from God's Spirit. We may be impressed by a leader who
exhibits boldness and power, but without love or self-control, such a
leader is little more than a bully....
The expression a spirit of timidity is probably another way of
saying "a timid disposition," which Timothy probably had by nature. But
the Holy Spirit has given believers power (Acts 1:8), love (Rom
5:5), and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). Thus, to have a spirit with
these qualities is to have a human spirit that has been regenerated by
the the Holy Spirit. (Life Application Commentary)
Paul's words to Timothy are equally God's words to you. God
gives you "a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Tim.
1:7). Respond to every person or situation that you fear with God's
power, God's love, and God's mind.
1. Ask for God's help.
When fear strikes you, immediately ask for God's help. Tap
into the power of God. Remember when Peter tried to walk on the water
to Jesus, but his fear overcame him (Matt. 14:30)? When he found
himself in trouble and fear--sinking in the sea--he had the right
response. He asked for God's help. "Lord, save me!" is your best first
response any time you feel fear.
2. Ask for God's love to fill your heart.
Love is a potent antidote to fear. I recall the first time I
preached in my home church. I had a "fear attack." I felt they expected
more from me than a group of strangers might expect. So what helped
me? I read the words of the Lord to Joshua in Joshua 1:5-9, and then
turned my focus on the people of my home church. I felt overwhelmed by
how much I loved them and how they had loved me through the years.
By the time I stood in the pulpit, the fear had completely drained
out of me. John tells us, "There is no fear in love; but perfect
love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). Ask your heavenly Father to
impart to you more of Christ's love and to take away any torment you
feel. As you do, fear will lose its grip on you.
3. Ask God to give you a sound mind, filled with and operating
according to God's Word.
The basis for a sound mind is the Word of God. The more you
know of God's promises and the more you live according to His
commandments, the greater your strength to withstand fear. Use Scripture to
speak directly to the source of your fear, just as Jesus quoted
Scripture to Satan during His time of temptation in the wilderness (Luke
4:1-13).
When you feel gripped by fear, turn your gaze upon God,
redirect your heart to love, speak to your fear from the Word of God, and
then respond boldly to the situation. The Lord desires that you "be
strong and of good courage" today. [Life Principles SB By Charles
Stanley re 2Ti. 1:7]
The only fear that God encourages in a Christian's life is the
fear of God (2Co 5:10-11; Heb 10:31). Fear of people does not come
from God. The problem is that many Christians fear people more than
they fear God. Their fear hinders them from pleasing God because they
waste their efforts appeasing other people.
Timothy was a young man, timid by nature, and probably not
strong physically (1Ti 5:23). He knew of Paul's frequent trials and
persecutions. He knew that he, too, might suffer those same persecutions. Paul
reminded his young colleague that fear of others does not come from God.
Fear causes us to stop and question what God has clearly told
us to do. Perhaps we were confident in our obedience until
persecution came; now we doubt whether we heard God correctly. Most fear is
fear of the unknown. We do not know what lies ahead of us, so we
become apprehensive. Our imaginations can magnify problems until they
seem insurmountable. We need a sound mind to see things in proper
perspective. That is why God gave us His Holy Spirit, to enable us to see
things as God sees them.
Fear is no excuse to disobey God. There is no reason to live
in fear when you have the mighty presence of the Holy Spirit within
you. Fear will enslave you, but Christ has come to set you free. Ask
God to free you from any fear you are experiencing and to open your
eyes. As He reveals the reality of your situation, He will enable you
to continue in obedience. [Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and
Richard Blackaby re 2Ti. 1:7]
1 John 4:18 (NKJV) There is no fear in love; but perfect love
casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has
not been made perfect in love.
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Grace Notes:
http://www.e-gracenotes.org/index.php
A Better Way to Live:
http://www.itiswritten.com/betterway/
Excellent Spiritual Resource Site:
http://www.christianlifemediacenter.com/
More Spiritual Resources:
http://www.aBible.com
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
The FAST Program for Bible memorization:
http://www.fast.st/fast/index.php